Pages

About Me

Hi! My name is Jackie, I'm a college student that loves writing, reading, and art. Since I've always been interested in books, I thought it would be a nice idea to blog/review books that I love and that others might enjoy as well. I hope I can help others find interesting books to read. :)

Grayson Ford and Emma Kinglsey—close since they were kids, opposites in every way. He’s the stuff high school crushes are made of, Mister Popular, and captain of every team. She’s artsy, cute, and not in his league, though fully aware of Summerland’s "I Dream of Dating Grayson Ford" support group.

I can’t say no. The girl’s had my heart since before I knew it went missing.

He hides a life of hell. His father hates him, his mother’s gone. Emma is his only savior, yet she doesn’t know her power over him. She’s the only girl he wants, the only one he could ever tell—though he won’t.

I’m stronger, bigger, more of a man than he’ll ever be, but because I ruined his life, I’ve taken his crap, his attacks, the vulgar nature of his existence.

Until she discovers Gray’s embarrassment, his humiliation. Emma fights for him, for a chance. Theirs is a Cinderella story that she believes impossible. But as the layers peel back, it’s just a guy who needs a girl in order to keep breathing.

My mind is already doodling Mrs. Grayson Ford in imaginary notebooks. He has no clue where my head is at… But, given that I didn’t see what just happened coming, maybe I have no clue where his head is at either.

Cristin
Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author.
She writes sexy, steamy romantic suspense and military romance.
Readers voted her onto Amazon's Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors
in 2013, and her debut Titan series was both a #1 romantic suspense
and #1 military romance bestseller.

There’s a shift of his weight as he moves on the bed, coming closer. “Keep them closed.”

My lungs ache. My heart’s exploding, and my senses are hyper-alive. My lips part, wanting to tell him a story, wanting to kiss him more than I want to breathe. My eyelashes flutter.

“Closed, Ems.” His low voice rakes over me.

I’m dying. In heaven. Right now.

His side touches my side. The heat from his body covers mine. His soft breaths torture my cheek… my chin… then hover over my lips.

Unable to control myself, I feel my hips shift. My chin tilts up. Anticipation squeezes deep into my soul. He’s watching me. My eyes are still shut, but I can feel his gaze as his finger touches my hair, sliding down the strands to the slope of my collarbone.

I’m ready—swooning, melting, panting—for a kiss.

“God, you are beautiful, Ems,” he whispers.”

{REVIEW}

I can’t say no. The girl’s had my heart since before I knew it went missing.

Only for Him is the first novella in the Only Series by Christin Harber. For being only a short novella, the story is captivating from the very start. I found myself liking the complexity of the main characters as they were finding their way through all sorts of obstacles.

Grayson Ford and Emma Kinglsey have been friends since they were kids, they both grew up among each other, and yet Grayson's life at home is very different than the one Emma has. Outside everyone knows Grayson as the popular guy, and Emma's brother is his best friend. Whereas Emma is artsy, and also aware of the fact that although she wants to desperately to tell Grayson how she feels, she is afraid that he may not feel the same way. After all, he is her brother's best friend, and that could ruin their relationship if her brother finds out. But the more they are around each other, the bigger the attraction gets between the two of them, and soon they start to develop feelings that they no longer can deny. Soon secrets get revealed, and Emma has to choose if fighting for Grayson is worth in the end.

There were a lot of things that I really liked about the book, one being the gorgeous cover. That's what attracted me to the book in first place, and the synopsis completely sealed the deal. Now while I was reading the novella, I found myself connecting with the characters, and their lives. I felt that Grayson represented a huge part of the book in the beginning as we see him struggle with his life at home. He somehow has gotten in his head that he is responsible for a lot of the things that his dad is going through, and that leaves him in a weak state of mind. The only person that saves him from all that is happening in his home is Emma, he thinks about her, and that somehow safes him. On the other hand, Emma is pretty much in love with Grayson, and she wants him to notice her.

While I liked the story very much, I had trouble with how short the novella was. I get that it's supposed to be short, but because the characters were so complex, the ending was too rushed. I felt that some of the events were happening too quickly, and the transition wasn't as smooth as it could have been. The last chapters felt a bit random to me, they didn't quite add up to the whole story, but needless to say, I still found them interesting. Now there is no surprise that there is in fact a cliffhanger at the end, and that ruined the story in my opinion. But the twist that the author leaves us with makes it that much more intriguing! I will most definitely read the next novella, I really want to know what happens next with Grayson, and Emma.

Would I recommend this story? Sure, if you're looking for a short romantic story that definitely has potential to be a great series. :)

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*